WS 06 - Social Stress, Inequality and Mental Health in Cities

Urbanization is one of the most significant global changes with an enormous health impact within the next decades. According to the United Nations projections two-thirds of the urban population will be living in cities. At the same time city living and urban upbringing can affect the mental health of urban dwellers through social stressors and subsequently increase the risk for mental-ill health. Social stress in urban environments may result from high social density and overcrowding, social isolation and excessive within-city inequality. Identifying populations who are particularly at risk for social stress in urban environments and who do not have adequate access to the urban advantage seems therefore key.

However, cities keep attracting people as they promise improved standards of living, better access to education, wealth, sanitation and health care and offer a broader cultural diversity. Health researchers, urban planners and governmental authorities have largely failed to develop public mental health strategies for the growing cities in all parts of our world. Such a strategy should particularly address at-risk populations with their increased exposure to urban stressors and recommend strategies to facilitate overall access to the urban advantage.

This workshop will identify the major health-relevant social stressors and at-risk populations for stress-dependent mental-ill health, and discuss approaches towards a public mental health strategy for urban environments.